


Fumbling into a Relationship

by SerpentPrince



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Banter, Insecurity, M/M, Overthinking, Talking, lavellan overthinks everything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 09:58:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4387421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerpentPrince/pseuds/SerpentPrince
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lavellan has no idea where this 'thing' with Dorian was going. And after their first kiss came after an painful encounter with Dorian's father; Lavellan doesn't know if it's even real.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fumbling into a Relationship

**Author's Note:**

> This is an story that I mostly wrote back in November, when this game came out. It is pretty sappy, I have no idea how to do sappy, so this was an experimental feelings fic. I think next time I'll go with lighthearted banter and dirty jokes.  
> I finished it just so I would have something for Tumblr's day 2 of #inquisitorsweek

Kerym had no idea how to progress with Dorian. He had been casually flirting with the man throughout his entire stay with the inquisition, like he did with everyone else, and it started to mean something. It was obvious that the something was mutual by the heated kiss that took place after they met with the man’s father. 

It made the elf feel as if he took advantage of the Tevinter mage. Dorian was emotionally comprised and Kerym exploited it, even though Dorian went for it first. He still felt horribly guilty for it and that kept the Dalish elf awake at night. (Among other things, such as his crippling home sickness) 

Their relationship, if it could even be called that, was awkward to say the least. He had no idea how humans courted or how they behaved or anything, Dorian was just one big wild-card and Kerym had no idea how the attraction ever set in. He stared out the window from the balcony of his large room in Skyhold.

He remembered meeting the mage, he remembered him laughing, fighting, and making jovial comments that no one else by the elf’s side appreciated. He remembered surprising Cassandra by returning the laughter and banter without scowling at the man’s flat ears. He remembered not mentally addressing the man as another dirty shemlen.  
He was drawn to the man for the reason that he hid himself under layers and layers of sarcasm and humour. It was something they had in common. As the elf started to learn who Dorian was after that whole time travelling mess, he started to admire the Tevinter Mage. 

He managed to leave the destiny, the plan, that had been forced upon him. He was no longer a slave to it, he didn’t give up his life to making people happy, to living a lie. Kerym was bound to that path of leadership ever since that first spark of magic came from his fingertips, he was to be a first and then the keeper of his clan. He never wanted it, but that was what was expected of him. He remembered staring at envy at the hunters with their simple unplanned lives just as he stared at the nomadic merchants now. Kerym wanted to carve his own path, choose his own destiny, but he could never do what Dorian did because he was petrified by fear. 

He was terrified of being alone, that everyone would abandon him in the end. He was also afraid of everyone hunting him down like a wolf with elven blood on it’s maw.  
He was drawn to the Tevinter Mage for his strength and courage, perhaps he hoped he would rub off on him. Kerym placed his hand to his lips remembered the warmth of another pair and the guilt that welled up at the memory proved to the elf that he was still a coward. 

He relaxed against the balcony, his eyes fixated intensely on the flying birds as if their flight patterns had all the answers. A knock against the door disturbed his thoughts and he moved away from the balcony as his visitor walked in. 

“Do you never lock your door? Marauders may walk in and relieve you of all your non-matching furniture!” Kerym gave a little smile at Dorian’s complaints; the attraction for the man was definitely still there along with all the confusion and hesitance. “And why is it so cold in here?! Ah yes, I see, you decided to open every single window and not light a fire. Are you trying to get a sick day?” the human started to move closer to the elf. 

“I find it quite pleasant, I’m adapted to this climate and thrive in it,” the elf’s voice was even, but he fidgeted in place. “Unlike some people.” Their relationship, if it could even be called that, was awkward to say the least. He had no idea how humans courted or how they behaved or anything, Dorian was just one big wildcard and Kerym had no idea how the attraction ever set in. He stared out the window from the balcony of his large room in Skyhold.

“I don’t think Cassandra will permit a sick day so there really is no point in trying,” the smiling man was now close enough to touch Kerym. 

“I have done more impossible things,” Kerym didn’t waver in his banter even though he tensed up like a jackrabbit preparing to bolt; Dorian was now close enough that the elf could feel his warm breath on his face. 

“Hm, perhaps you could, she has a soft spot for you.” The Mage placed his hands upon Kerym’s thin waist and looked into the yellow eyes of the elf. It was obvious that the elf’s flightiness showed in them by the way the human moved his hands away as if he had been burned. “What’s wrong?” The Tevinter Mage said out quietly, his sarcastic mask slipping, “Do you think this a mistake?” 

The short moment of silence from Kerym was enough for the human to turn around and start moving toward the door.  
“Dorian,” the elf spoke, his voice far more confident than he felt; he feared the man leaving, because something told him the man wouldn’t come back. “What do you want? Out of this, I mean.” 

Dorian seemed to be put off guard by the elf’s question, “I don’t know?” 

“Are you looking for a quick tumble or are you courting me?” Humans were never clear in their intentions; it was a pain. 

Dorian answered with another question, “What do you want? A relationship?” 

“Wasn’t that what you were initiating?” It was now the elf’s turn to look hurt, “Is that how humans court? With uncertainty and kisses?” 

“Ah yes, I forgot that you are naive on anything non-elfy,” Dorian tried to hide his emotions away in the usual manner of sarcasm and jokes. 

“Then educate me, tell me what you want,” the elf was visually upset at this point, that was the time in which Dorian decided to tell some truth. 

“In Tevinter it’s different, as you found out during our meeting with my father. Relations between the same sex was to be nothing more than pleasure and anything more brought shame upon yourself and your family.”

“You aren’t in Tevinter anymore Lethallin,” the elf’s spoke quietly. 

“I don’t know, I never allowed myself to do something like this. I have no idea how to do a ‘relationship.’”

“I have no knowledge of your ‘shemlen relationships rituals’ so this is a new area for me as well,” Kerym let a tiny and tense smile cross his face in order to look a little less scared of possible rejection. 

“I would willing to try Amatus.” There are certainly worst things than having a exotic elven lover.“ Dorian seemed to have reached his serious conversation quota for the day and was quickly back to avoiding things with sarcasm. 

“You’re the exotic one here Vint,” Kerym was the same except he was now grinning like an idiot. 

“Bull is rubbing off on you I see.” 

“Phrasing, Dorian.” The two fully grown beings started laughing like the children they mentally were. Then Kerym took on a serious tone again, “This is what you want right? This isn’t just a further 'fuck you’ to your father?” The human curse spilled awkwardly off his tongue. 

“No, it isn’t. If I wanted to do that I would have propositioned you right in front of dear old dad.” Kerym had a kicked insecure puppy look going on so Dorian elaborated; this time not going the ass route. “I would very much like to try all that syrupy fairy tale relationship stuff with you. I won’t lie and say I wasn’t thinking of it before those unpleasantries.”  
“You really aren’t too discrete in your looking,” Kerym felt like some weight was left off his shoulders. Instead of guilt pooling in his stomach there was giddiness.  
“Like you’re one to talk, but of course who wouldn’t want to look at this?” 

“Sorry to burst your bubble Dor’, but most people are looking for evidence of dark nefarious magic instead of looking at your posterior.”  
“Please, you know that is always the second thing that comes to one’s mind when they look at me.” 

Maybe things will turn out.


End file.
